CEHI Newsbulletin

The Latin American and Caribbean Water Prizes – PLACA 2006

In celebration of the World Water Day 2006, the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean –CATHALAC- is pleased to announce that it is now accepting nominations for the Latin American and Caribbean Water Prizes – PLACA 2006.

The prizes are designed to promote the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005 – 2015 proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/58/217.

PLACA Water Prizes are awarded annually to individuals, communities, organizations, schools or business for outstanding local, national or regional water-related achievements. The Prizes are awarded each year in connection with the Inter-American Water Day.

PLACA Junior Water Prize, aimed at stimulating an interest in water-related activities among Latin American and Caribbean young people is also awarded at this annual event. The PLACA Junior competition is open to young people up to the age of 18.

The underlining objective of PLACA Water Prizes is to recognize and share solutions to some of the most demanding water-related development issues in the region and honor efforts that help the region achieve the water-related Millennium Development Goals.

An independent International Committee, chaired by CATHALAC, evaluates all PLACA nominees and selects PLACA Water Prize laureates and runners-up.

The Prize

The PLACA Water Prize laureate and PLACA Junior Water Prize laureate receive a cash award, along with a PLACA diploma, and a sculpture designed by the renowned international artist, Olga Sinclair . Runners-up are awarded a PLACA diploma.

Eligibility

Any individual, community, organization, school or business is eligible to be nominated in honor of outstanding local, national or regional water-related achievements.

Nominating Criteria

Any activity or stakeholder that contributes to the conservation and protection of water resources, and which improves the well-being of inhabitants and ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean is eligible to be nominated.

Who May Nominate

Individuals, representatives of organizations, schools, universities, businesses, research institutions active in water and environmental related areas of applied scientific research, engineering, technology development and transfer, or capacity building activities.

Nomination Deadline

First submission round for the 2006 PLACA Water Prize and 2006 PLACA Junior Water Prize must be received by July 30, 16:00 EST, 2006. Nominations received after the deadline will NOT be accepted.

For nomination guidelines and procedure for 2006 PLACA Water Prizes please visit: http://www.cathalac.org/

CATHALAC welcomes expressions of interest from organizations interested in sponsoring the 2006 PLACA Water Prizes.

For more information:

CATHALAC
801 City of Knowledge, Clayton
P.O. Box 873372 , 7 Panama
Phones: ++(507) 317-0053/0057/0125/1640
Fax: ++(507) 317-0127
Email: placa@cathalac.org
Website: www.cathalac.org

CEHI encourages improved environmental of industry through CLEANER PRODUCTION

In June 2004, CEHI convened a meeting of stakeholders for the inception of the USAID/CARICOM sponsored project titled “Cleaner Production and Eco-Efficiency for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises and the Tourism Sector”. This project team included CEHI members and representatives from the Business Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (BDC), the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI), the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), and the Scientific Research Council (SRC) of Jamaica. Based on discussions with the team it was decided that in the interest of time, CEHI would focus on the agro-processing sector which is an important group to all countries and which also has direct linkages to the tourism sector. More

Workshop on Cleaner Production and Eco-Efficiency among Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises and the Tourism Sector in the Caribbean

November 10, 2004. The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) will be conducting a Workshop entitled “Workshop on Cleaner Production and Eco-Efficiency among Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises and the Tourism Sector in the Caribbean” at 9.00am on Wednesday 17 th November 2004 in the Conference Room of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, the Morne, Castries.

The Workshop brings together representatives of Small, Medium and Micro-sized agro-processing businesses in St. Lucia, as well as from Grenada, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as part of a sensitization and training initiative on the issues of cleaner production as they relate to the sector.

Global imperatives such as trade liberalization and the need to be economically competitive are creating much anxiety over challenges such as the implementation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) as well as the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and the need for the sector to position itself to participate in these arrangements in order to reap the expected economic benefits. The challenge is compounded by the need to meet environmental standards required by various international protocols and treaties to which Caribbean countries are signatories.

In addition, the sector has to meet the requirements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for international trade. In many instances, the environmental requirements are seen as “soft” trade barriers which countries must overcome. Growing pressure from national and local levels to protect the environment also means that SMMEs must take responsibility for improving their operations to prevent pollution and ensure waste minimization.

This Workshop is a component of a project on Cleaner Production which is being implemented by the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) in partnership with international and regional agencies such as the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, the CARICOM Secretariat, the OAS and the United Nations Environment Programme.

The Project is funded by the USAID and is the first phase of developing a full fledged Regional Cleaner Production Programme for the Caribbean. It will address the need for establishing Environmental Management Systems (EMS) in the sector. The objective of the project is to contribute to sustainable development by assisting SMMEs to adopt cleaner production technology and processes so as to better preserve the environment and reduce pollution while remaining economically competitive and viable.

Sensitization and training workshops will take place in 6 countries, with participants from 11 Member States. This commenced with the first training workshop in Trinidad on November 10, 2004 and St. Lucia is the venue of the second Workshop. The Small Enterprise Development Unit of St. Lucia has provided collaborative support and is one of several local agencies and ministries that will participate.

First Accredited Laboratory in St. Lucia

October 26 th 2004. The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) is pleased to announce that its laboratory facilities have been accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 - the standard used worldwide to determine the technical competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

ISO/IEC17025 is the most important standard used around the world by accreditation bodies and national standards bodies that recognise the competence of testing and calibration laboratories to produce technically valid data and results. It has helped countries adopt a uniform approach to determining laboratory competence and through mutual recognition agreements , are crucial in enabling test data (export certificates) accompanying exported goods to be more readily accepted in overseas markets and reduces or eliminates the need for products to be retested in another country.

It is the first laboratory in St Lucia, and indeed in the OECS, to achieve such monumental acclaim. CEHI constantly aims to meet the needs of its member states and improve its services to its corporate clients.

CEHI has been based in St Lucia since 1989 and since that time has become the premier environmental health institute of the Region. As a CARICOM institute it sees itself as having a very important role in regional integration.

CEHI will be commemorating this occasion with a launch at the Institute for invited guests on November 4 th 2004 at 10:00 am. More

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Impacts of Climate Change on Health brought into sharp focus by Government of St. Lucia & Caribbean Environmental Health Institute

September 16, 2004 . The Ministry of Health and the Ministry with responsibility for the Environment in St. Lucia collaborated on September 16, 2004 to bring together health and environment practitioners and sensitize them towards the many health impacts of climate change and variability in the region. This seminar took on increased significance as the wider region and CARICOM Heads of Government grapple with the many impacts of recent severe weather, in the form of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan.

Based on research conducted by the St. Lucia-based Caribbean Environmental Health Institute, CEHI, the meeting was informed on the many and varied potential health impacts, both direct and indirect, from climate change and variability.

In his Opening Remarks, Minister of Physical Development, Environment & Housing, Honourable Ferguson John referred to the recent study carried out by the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (under a CIDA-funded Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean project), which identified a link between climatic factors and health conditions ranging from vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, to respiratory ailments such as asthma. He also insisted that the CEHI study is “precisely the kind of research that is required in St. Lucia and the wider region if we are to truly understand how climate change is likely to affect us in the long term”.

Executive Director of CEHI, Vincent Sweeney, detailed the mortality figures from recent Hurricanes in the region and suggested that p otential impacts on human health from climate change have not figured prominently in regional or national discussions, with the exception being the Emergency meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government on Response to the Regional Devastation by Recent Hurricanes, held in Trinidad on September 15, 2004. He noted international views that climate change was a bigger problem than the threat of terrorism and particularly the views of Prime Minister Tony Blair, expressed this week, that “Urgent action is needed now to combat the world's ‘greatest environmental challenge’ - global warming”.

Participants also heard from Minister of Health, Honourable Damien Greaves, who applauded the interest of health professionals in learning about climate issues and passionately outlined the need for all health professionals in St. Lucia to be aware of the impacts of climate change on the health of the population.

CAMP Update

The Caribbean Agrochemicals Management Project (CAMP) which began in March 2004, aimed at “increased awareness of the need for improved agrochemical use and management to achieve implementation of best practice pro-poor integrated natural resource and pollution prevention management in coastal zones in the Wider Caribbean”. Funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), the project seeks to promote a Strategy for a Holistic Approach to Agrochemical Management in the Wider Caribbean, which was derived from a previous project on the “impacts and amelioration of agrochemical pollution in Caribbean Waters”.

The project partners are the Pesticides Control Authority in Jamaica (Project Leader), Pesticides Control Board in St. Lucia, Marine Resources Assessment Group (MRAG), the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards (CGPC) and Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) and Caribbean Agricultural Development and Research Institute (CARDI).

Under the project, CEHI is responsible for the following areas: a) Communications and Public Awareness at the regional level, b) Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Behavior of key stakeholders towards Agro-chemical management and c) the development of a toolkit to include: i) guidelines for developing National Plans of Action (NPA) for the “improved agrochemical management”, ii) system for monitoring and evaluating the development and implementation of NPA and iii) indicators for measuring "uptake" of the Strategy for Agrochemical Management.

To date CEHI has produced a wide range of public awareness material including: six Information Briefs; four Policy Briefs targeted to senior policy and decision makers; a regional video on the improved management of agrochemical in the region and a regional agrochemical poster entitled “a Safer Caribbean” in commemoration of Pesticide Awareness Week.

For further information you visit the CEHI website at http://www.cehi.org.lc/agrochemical.htm or the MRAG site at www.mragltd.com.

Pesticide Awareness Week

The Coordinating Group of Pesticide Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) in its ongoing quest to provide consumers with optimum food safety and quality, as well as secure greater market access for products, will host a Pesticide Awareness Week across the Region from September 27 to October 2004.

Its aim is to promote prudent agro-chemical management and use in the Caribbean Region to ensure food security and quality, as well as the health and safety of consumers nationally, regionally and internationally.

Agriculture is an important economic pillar for many countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Approximately 15% of the Region’s population is directly employed by agriculture, and it contributes to foreign exchange earnings. It plays a vital role in food security and indirect employment through its linkages with manufacturing and agro-industries.

Agro-chemicals are used to assist production through combating pest and diseases and improve soil fertility, however the mis-use of chemicals, in particular pesticide r esidues, have generated concerns for consumers and policy makers as it impacts on human health and environmental pollution.

A study conducted by the CGPC on the fate of agro-chemicals and their impact on the environment and humans, noted that there was a culture of denial of the negative effects of improper use of pesticides on human health among some sectors of Caribbean society. In Jamaica, it was revealed that some 50% of persons poisoned through agro-chemicals were less than 5 years old.

Collaborators in this study included the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI); the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), the UK based MRAG and funded by the Department for International Development (DFID).

Frequent and intensive use of pesticides combined with inappropriate handling, storage and disposal contribute to environmental pollution. Agro-chemical use affects the health of those that use and apply them, the consumers of agro-produce that have been grown with the aid of agro-chemicals, residents of communities within and down-stream from where they are used.

Other problems associated with the poor use of agro-chemicals include illegal imports, as well as repackaging of chemicals by vendors without proper labelling. Farmer and workers may also fail to wear protective clothing or use proper equipment when applying chemicals.

Apart from the threats to human health and the environment, high levels of agro-chemical pesticide residues can limit agricultural exports. International control of agro-chemical pollution was formalised in the Caribbean by the Cartagena Convention. Other international agreements such as the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), the EUREPGAP certification scheme and United States Certification Schemes, define minimum standards for food safety acceptable to European Union (EU) and US retailers. Faced with the Herculean challenges of free trade, Caribbean exporters will soon need to comply with these standards when trading with international partners.

Pesticide Control Authorities or Boards (PCAs or PCBs) carry out the regulation and control of pesticide usage. These Pesticide Control Boards or Authorities are co-ordinated by the regional body the CGPC. The CGPC has developed a strategy for improved agro-chemical management and use that recognises the region’s limited human and financial resources, as well as ongoing efforts at deepening regional integration.

The strategy requires action at both the national and regional level – national actions will be co-ordinated by the local PCB, while the GPPC will co-ordinate overall implementation of regional projects to support national endeavours. The adoption of internationally accepted and harmonised standards and procedures for agro-chemical management, as well as the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and other good practice codes of conduct for agro-chemical use need to be implemented.

Carefully designed environmental and public health monitoring plans must be developed and enforced from the farm to the sea. Governments, NGOs, and chemical companies should investigate sustainable financing mechanisms to fund research institutions and laboratories to conduct further investigations and continuous monitoring of the use of agro-chemicals on farms.

Improper management and use of agricultural chemicals affects everyone. Therefore it is imperative for stakeholders, including policy makers and consumers, to support the development of a National Action Plan for improved agro-chemical management and use, as outlined in the CGPC strategy.

Such a strategy is necessarily a multi-disciplinary challenge which will be a major part of the activities of the Ministries of Agriculture, but will also straddle government agencies in the areas of Trade, Health, Legal Affairs, Tourism and the Environment.

The CGPC is steadfast in its quest for better food security, food safety, plant and animal health as well as sustainable development within the ambit of the agricultural sector. The production of safe and good quality food cannot be achieved without the strict control of the quality and use of pesticides. Correct management and use of agro-chemicals can bring social and economic benefits, such as increase in potential for international trade in agricultural products, the protection of the natural environment, and better food quality for domestic and other consumers.

Caribbean Plan on Pesticide Management Proposed

Caribbean Pesticide Authorities and Boards are stressing the role of all sections of society in promoting the proper management of chemicals used in agriculture. This year, Pesticide Awareness Week will be observed from September 27 to October 2 under the theme: "Everyone has a role to play in improving the management of Pesticides for a safer Caribbean." These observances coincide with a comprehensive programme of action currently being undertaken by the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards (CGPC). The programme promotes a regional strategy for agro-chemical management and targets policymakers in the process of ensuring that the issue gains greater prominence.

Studies conducted by the CGPC, in collaboration with its regional and international partners, establish strong links between improved agro-chemical management and the successful conduct of business in the areas of international trade and tourism. There is also concern about the impact of improper pesticide use on human and environmental health. The CGPC has accordingly developed a priority list of interventions to ensure the problems are effectively dealt with. The CGPC Strategy, for example, recommends the establishment of harmonized procedures for agro-chemical management throughout the Wider Caribbean. It is also suggested that sustainable financing and cost recovery mechanisms be investigated and, where necessary, novel and creative means found to develop capacity, and to fulfil all the functions of the various institutions involved in all aspects of agro-chemical management.

The Strategy stresses the need for effective public awareness and education programmes and a process of institutional analysis and evaluation of the capacity and resource needs of Pesticide Control Boards and Authorities. PCBs, it is recommended, must be adequately staffed and financed to administer and implement national legislation relating to agro-chemicals. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and other good practice codes of conduct for agro-chemical use also need to be implemented, particularly for domestic products not already covered by existing arrangements.

The CGPC has also recognised the need to promote implementation and further research on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Management of Pests and Pesticides (IMPP) as a means of improved management of use of pesticides. Socio-economic analyses, including cost-benefit analyses, are also seen as been necessary for different farming practices, including options for agro-chemical use (e.g. Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Carefully designed public health monitoring plans must be developed along with long-term environmental monitoring plans. The public is urged to come out in support of the preparation of national plans to manage the use of agro-chemicals. Contact your local PCB for more information and play your part in improving the management of Pesticides for a safer nation and region.

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Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management (IWCAM)

The Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management (IWCAM) concept and approach provides a framework for countries to better address environmental management challenges that they face. To this end, the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have developed the Regional Project on Integrated Watershed and Coastal Areas Management (IWCAM) in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) over the last five years through a thorough consultative process in 13 countries of the region, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti.

The overall objective of the IWCAM Project is to strengthen the commitment and capacity of the participating countries to implement an integrated approach to the management of watersheds and coastal areas. The long-term goal is to enhance the capacity of the countries to plan and manage their aquatic resources and ecosystems on a sustainable basis. Thirteen countries are included in the Project and these countries, by being involved in the Project have agreed to adopt IWCAM as a management approach. As such they will be required to re-orient their systems and mechanisms as well as address the issue of policy and legislative re-alignment to fully mainstream IWCAM at the national level. While support and resources will be provided by the Project once approved, the commitment and support will be required at the regional and national levels to effect IWCAM as a “way of doing business”.

The IWCAM Project has identified 5 major components:

Project Management and Coordination
Demonstration, Capture and Transfer of Best Practice
Development of IWCAM Process, Stress Reduction and Environmental Status Indicator Frameworks
Policy, Legislative and Institutional Reform for IWCAM
Regional and National Capacity Building for IWCAM

Status of IWCAM

The IWCAM Project valued at US$23M was approved by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Council in May 2004. In October 2004, the GEF approved additional funding for a component on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in which each of the target countries will receive support for developing National IWRM Plans.

In approving the IWCAM in May 2004, the GEF highly complimentary of the approach of the project and indicated that it was “…a best example of a GEF International Waters Regional project” and “…the best project in the entire work programme and a 'paragon' in terms of quality and relevance to issues in the Caribbean”

The NGOs community saw the project as “ a near-perfect approach to stakeholder participation and community involvement.”, while the representatives from the Pacific were “ deeply impressed with this (IWCAM) Project Brief and would now wish to see similar project(s) for their region being developed as early as possible.”

The representatives Canada felt that “This proposal could serve as a model for regional programme preparation: national level consultations, reports on national situations, needs assessment, then regional level consultations, partnership meetings with international agencies…. This is a very well put together proposal with inputs from a number of the countries. It covers many of the categories of BPOA”.

Nine countries have submitted National Demonstration Projects within the IWCAM, each to the value of approximately US$500,000.

All participating countries have submitted to the GEF details of co-financing for the IWCAM
The Project Coordinating Unit will be located at the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), as agreed to by the Implementing and Executing Agencies and the participating countries.

The Project has identified CEHI as the regional institution in which resources will be invested and capacity will be built for providing training in IWCAM and information system management during and beyond the life of the Project.

Additional information is available at the following website: http://www.cep.unep.org/programmes/amep/GEF-IWCAM/GEF-IWCAM.htm